Moniker

//ˈmɑn.ɪ.kɚ// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A personal name or nickname; an informal label, often drawing attention to a particular attribute.

    "The rookie was upset at being called Lemon Drop until she realized that everyone on the team had a silly moniker."

  2. 2
    a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name) wordnet
  3. 3
    A person's signature.

    "The monikers of both these famously well-endowed movie stars contain enormous sworls (two of them, no less, for Ms West!) that could only signify you-know-what, according to Ms Koren."

  4. 4
    An object (structured item of data) used to associate the name of an object with its location.

    "Monikers are often composed from other monikers to allow object hierarchies to be navigated based on a textual description of a path."

Etymology

Unknown; first attested in 1849. Suggested derivations are: * Backslang for ekename (compare nickname); * From Shelta munik, munika; * From monk; * Partridge (A Dictionary of Historical Slang) suggests a corruption of monogram, which is suggestive of the sense signature. * From monarch in the sense 'king or No. 1, and thus with frank egotism, "I, myself".' (The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 281, pg. 349.) Online Etymological Dictionary's entry cites the Saturday Review (London newspaper) of 1857, which noted, "the word has a certain Coptic or Egyptian twang".

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: moniker